H.S. girls bowling: North Jersey teams enjoy the big dance

NORTH BRUNSWICK — Monday was a day for North Jersey bowlers to enjoy the ball, figuratively speaking.

The state girls team finals traditionally cause trouble for schools from Bergen County, which still have yet to pin down a championship at Carolier Lanes. But that doesn’t preclude them from enjoying their chance to experience the "big dance."

"This is our Cinderella moment," Teaneck senior Kiana Baham said.

The Highwaywomen made their first finals appearance since 1989 and finished third in Group 2.

Baham had their high game (214) and series (540), contributing to a final total of 2,354. Classmate Dana-Marie Laloo added a 539 series.

"When Dana and I were freshmen and sophomores, our team was basically like Cinderella dusting the floors," said Baham. "Junior year, we just came out of nowhere, and now, I think we’ve really proven ourselves as a team."

Westwood (2,293) made its first-ever trip to Carolier and placed fourth in Group 1 after keeping pace with the leaders for the first half of the tournament.

"The opportunity to come here was better than anything," Cardinals junior Rebecca Davies said. "It doesn’t matter what happened today, it’s just great that we were all together."

Having been backed by one of the most boisterous fan sections in North Jersey this season, Westwood was well-equipped to deal with an atmosphere that often tends to overwhelm newcomers.

"Knowing that my team and my family and friends are behind me screaming their heads off, that really helps me to have faith that I can do better, and just have fun," senior Kaitlyn Stapleton said.

The hurdle most North Jersey teams struggled to clear on Monday was the difficulty of shots, as even the best found it a challenge to adjust.

Paramus Catholic had the top score of the bunch (2,508) and tied Woodbridge for third in Group 3. The Paladins started with an 887 game and finished with an 897, but a 724 in the second round proved costly.

"As soon as we got [Game 2] done and over with, we got right back up," said senior Ameera Khan, who rolled a 538 series. "Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough."

"I’m very proud of them," PC coach Audrey Lelyo said. "It’s always tough coming down here. It’s a different shot, and they hung in there."

Holy Angels (2,257) took fifth in Group 2, with senior Kelley Grippo firing a team-best 215 in game two.